The present invention relates to methods of forming a combination electrical contact/terminal of the type employed in electrical switching mechanisms to provide for making and breaking of a circuit, and for external electrical connection to the switching mechanisms. The present invention relates particularly to contact/terminals of the type having a flat blade type external electrical terminal for connection to a mating electrical connector, for example, of the multiple pin type employed in an automotive wiring harness. Terminals of this type are typically pressed into the switch housing with the blade portion of the contact terminal extending exteriorly of the switch housing for external connection thereto and the contact portion disposed interiorly of the switch housing. Barbs can be formed on the blade portion to prevent unwanted movement of the installed contact/terminal in the housing.
It is known to manufacture such switch contact/terminals by shaping a flat strip of conductive material to form a thickened portion along one edge as, for example, by rolling or machining material from the flat strip and then cutting or stamping individual terminals from the strip. These processes, however, require the set up for and performance of the additional manufacturing operations of rolling or machining, and are thus quite costly in high volume mass production of contact/terminals for switches. Therefore, it has been desired to find a simplified and low-cost way or technique for fabricating individual bridge contact/terminals of the type having a terminal blade for extending exteriorly of the switch with a switch contact surface provided on a thickened head portion of a blade.